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People riding TRAX, buses and FrontRunner are using Utah Transit Authority's new electronic fare system this morning.
They now can pay by tapping their contact credit or debit cards within two inches of an electronic reader when they board, and then tapping the reader again when they exit. After tapping off, riders will have a two-hour window to board another service and tap on without getting charged again.
The new system started yesterday, but only ski buses were running for the holiday.
The new readers will deduct fares from credit cards with the contactless chip technology, prepaid cards such as student IDs, and electronic passes.
This new system, which UTA calls Electronic Fare Collection, cost $10 million to install. UTA says the readers include a "state of the art communication system" in which real-time data about where and when people enter and exit buses and trains will be communicated to UTA headquarters.
Fares for riders will remain the same. And while this system may take some getting used to, UTA doesn't think people will skip payment or verification any more than they do now.
E-mail: spark@ksl.com
